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Friday, May 20, 2011

Brake controller installation?

An electronic brake controller taps into your vehicle's existing brake light wiring harness and sends a signal to the trailer whenever the driver presses the brake pedal. This signal activates the electric brakes on the trailer and helps your vehicle to slow

How to Mount the Brake Controller in your dodge vehicle:----

Disconnect the ground cable from the negative battery terminal.

Locate a spot on the dash to mount the brake controller. The best place is on the right side of the steering column, on the dash lower trim panel. It should be within easy reach of the driver, but not interfere with operating the gas pedal, brake or clutch.

Remove the mounting bracket from the brake control module.

Use two self-drilling, self-tapping screws to mount the bracket to the dash lower trim panel.

Connect the brake control module to the mounting bracket. The bracket will be designed so the module can tilt up or down. Adjust the position of the controller to where it feels most comfortable for you.

How to connect the Ground Wire to the Vehicle's Body:--

Locate a spot on the vehicle's floor or firewall, to connect the ground wire. It must be a metal portion of the vehicle's body, not one of the brackets that secure the dash. A spot behind the gas or brake pedal works, as well as the transmission tunnel.

Once you've located a spot to attach the brake controller's ground, check underneath the body. You will be drilling through the body here, make sure you will not be drilling into brake lines, fuel lines or electrical wiring.

Shave 1/2 inch of insulation off the end of a 5-foot length of white wire

Attach a ring terminal to the end of the white wire.

Use a self-drilling, self-tapping screw and drive it through the ring terminal into the vehicle's body.

Route the white wire underneath the dash. Secure it to brackets or the wiring underneath the dash so it doesn't interfere with the gas, brake or clutch pedal.

Connect the white ground wire to the white electrical lead on the back of the brake controller. Use a barrel crimp connector.

How to Connect the Positive Lead to the Vehicle's Battery:--

Connect a ring terminal to one end of an inline 12-volt fusible link. The fusible link should be rated to handle at least 20 amps.

Attach the ring terminal to the positive battery terminal. On side terminal batteries attach the ring terminal around the battery post on top of the positive cable. On top terminal batteries, attach the ring terminal to the bolt that secures the clamp on the battery post.

Run a black wire from the loose end of the fusible link, through the firewall to the brake controller. Route the wire along the existing wiring in the vehicle's engine bay. Push the wire through the firewall at one of the rubber plugs behind the dash.

Connect the black wire to the fusible link using a barrel crimp connector.

Secure the black wire using wire ties to an existing wiring harness. Make sure the black wire does not come in contact with any moving parts on the engine or on any parts that may become excessively hot, such as the exhaust or intake manifolds.

Secure the black wire using wire ties to the chassis or an existing wiring harness. Make sure the black wire does not come in contact with any moving parts on the engine or on any parts that may become excessively hot, such as the exhaust manifold's radiator or intake manifold.

Connect the black wire to the black electrical lead on the back of the brake controller using a barrel crimp connector.

Connecting the Trailer Connector to the Brake Controller

Start at the rear of the vehicle and run a blue wire along the driver's side frame up to the brake controller. The wire should enter the passenger cabin through one of the rubber plugs behind the dash.

Connect the blue wire to the blue electrical lead on the brake controller, using a barrel crimp connector.

Secure the blue wire underneath the dash using wire ties. Route the wire away from the gas, brake and clutch pedals.

Secure the blue wire along the frame using wire ties. Do not connect the wire to brake or fuel lines.

Connect the blue wire to blue electrical lead on the trailer connector.

How to Connect the Brake Controller to the Brake Light Switch:--

Reconnect the ground cable to the negative battery terminal.

Locate the brake light switch, it will be on the brake pedal.

Locate the wire attached to the brake light switch that activates the brake lights. Use a 12-volt test light. Attach the ground clip on the test light to the vehicle's body. Use the probe on the end of the test light to pierce the insulation of each of the wires coming out of brake light switch. You are looking for the wire that causes the test light to light up when you push the brake pedal down.

Connect a red wire to the electrical lead you found in the step above using a side crimp connector.

Route the red wire underneath the dash and away from the gas, brake and clutch pedals. Secure with wire ties.

Connect the red wire to the red electrical lead attached to the brake controller, using a barrel crimp connector.

See fig below for more help:--

Then mount the brake controller to a place on the dash. Make sure that it is easily accessible.

OEM Plug is usually blue:--

Brake Controller where it is easily accessible.

Start by plugging in the brake control adapter into the OEM harness located under the steering wheel, just to the right of the emergency brake pedal. Then find a place to mount the brake controller. It should be in a position that is easily accessible ( see above ). Connect the wires. If the port is not available, see the start from scratch.Step 2:Usually located under the driver's side of the vehicle, right behind the front wheel well is a wire connector. As you can see in the picture there are more wires on the hood side (right side) of the connector than the hitch side. Using a circuit tester you can locate the wire that supplies power to the trailer brakes. Usually it is the blue one. Using a scotch lock, run a wire lead from the blue wire to the back of the vehicle. Enough wire will be needed to make it from the front wheel well to the end of the truck bed. The wire lead will connect to the blue wire on the 7-Way or 6-Way trailer adapter. After mounting the new trailer adapter and plugging it into the original 4-pole connector, installation is complete.Note: If a hot lead is needed, it would need to be connected to the battery via a circuit breaker. That wire would then connect to the black wire on the trailer connector adapter.

After mounting the new trailer adapter and plugging it into the original 4-pole connector, installation is complete.

Note: If a hot lead is needed, it would need to be connected to the battery via a circuit breaker. That wire would then connect to the black wire on the trailer connector adapter.

No Existing Wiring Harness

Parts Needed:

The brake controller

The Brake Control 7 way or 6 way Installation Kit or one of Draw-Tite's Installation Kits.

4-Pole Trailer Connector for the Vehicle

If needed, use the wiring fitguide to see the quick, easy, no-cutting wiring adapter that is recommended for your vehicle.

Step 1 - In the Back:

Start in the rear of the vehicle by first installing the 4-Pole trailer connector. Next, find a good place to mount the 7-way or 6-way trailer connector and then connect it to the newly installed 4-Pole. Ground the 7-Way or 6-way connector and run the extra-long wire lead up to the front of the vehicle. A good place to run the wire is between the truck bed and its cross members.

Step 2 - Under the Hood:

After slicing open the sleeve that holds the two wires, run the blue wire through a hole in the firewall. This will connect to the brake controller and carries the signal that activates the trailer brakes. The other wire will be for a "hot" lead (if needed) and will run to the battery through a circuit breaker.

Finding a hole in the firewall can sometimes be a little difficult. Before drilling a hole, always look for wires already running through the wall. On this Dodge, a hole was found just to the right of the emergency brake pedal (see picture close to bottom of page). It is often easier to run the wires through the hole by removing the grommet and put a slice into the grommet. Then insert the wires into the grommet and reinstall.

Finishing the Installation

Find a safe place to mount the circuit breakers. The hot lead attaches to the 40 amp circuit breaker given in the kit. The 20 amp circuit breaker is for the brake controller power supply. Note: Some brake controller models require a 30 amp circuit breaker which is not included in the installation kit. Also a smaller circuit breaker or an in-line fuse can be used on the hot lead.

Run two wires to the battery on from each breaker.Each post on the circuit breaker is labeled. Be sure to connect the battery to the post labeled "BATT" on the breaker.

After connecting the wires to the positive post on the battery, the ground wire will need to be run to the negative post. Start at the battery and route the wire back through the firewall. It will be connected to the ground wire on the brake controller (white wire).

Now that all the leads are run into the cab, the red wire on the brake controller needs to be connected to the brake pedal. To do this, follow the wires connected to the switch at the top of the brake pedal. Using a circuit tester, find the wire that carries the signal once the brake pedal is engaged. Usually it is the white wire with a tan stripe. Scotch lock the brake controller's red wire to this one.

Before connecting the rest of the wires to the brake controller, be sure to remember to slide the wires through the grommet in the firewall. Connect the ground wire to the brake controller last.

After mounting the controller where it is easily accessible, installation is complete.